Developers Callie and Todd Havens through their company called Havens Development are trying to work around existing traditional subdivision guidelines and calling this new proposed Rausch Coleman housing project a Planned Urban Development(PUD). They are using a part of the program that doesn’t regulate lot size and shrinking the lots down to a mere 50 feet so they can squeeze 232 lots, a 34 lot increase over the initial plan, on this piece of land to reap even more profits and overwhelm surrounding roadways with traffic. At a projected lot price of around $40,000 to Rausch Coleman, that gives Havens approximately $9.2 million dollars in revenue. On top of that, Havens will reap the benefits of improvement bonds in the form of taxes on the homeowners providing another approximate $2.7 million dollars in revenues. PUD’s are intended to encourage developers to be creative and provide added benefits to the community that they couldn’t otherwise provide under traditional zoning guidelines. Havens is manipulating the system for personal gain.
Traffic Increases
If you’ve ever been on Midland road during the morning or afternoon rush hour you already know how frustrating it can be. The daily traffic projected to be attributed to this housing project will almost double the current traffic. A lot of that traffic will add to the already congested Midland Road traffic, much of it will flow onto small backroads like Wildwood, Willow,Forest, and Sherwood. Those street are so narrow in many places two cars can’t pass one another.
In addition to the current traffic issues and congestion on Midland and Hwy 5, you may not be aware that the section of Hwy 5 between Alexander Road and Reynolds road is set to be widened. When that project starts in the near future there will be several years of added strain on that roadway.
Safety Concerns
Essential services which are already strained due to the overwhelming growth of Bryant would be further stretched by a housing project of this size on the outskirts of the city. With no fire departments currently on this side of town, these homes will likely be covered by the Bryant main forestation located across the interstate off Reynolds. Already overcrowded bus stops would be filled with a much higher number with children from the houses priced to be starter homes targeting younger families. Traffic and parking at the Midland soccer fields has long been an issue, and this project would put potentially twice as many cars going up and down the road while people are trying to get in and out of their cars.